Voltage-regulating system.



N. W. STORER.

VOLTAGE REGULATING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 7. WM.

1,226,142. Patented May15,1917.

464/ WITNESSES: 4 f6 f0 INVENTOR 150/4 a w m ATTORNEY I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

NORMAN W. STORER, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

VOLTAGE-REGULATING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 1917.

Application filed January 7, 1914. Serial No. 810,790.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NORMAN WV. S'roiucu. a citizen of the United States, and a resi dent of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Voltage-Regulating Systems, of which the following is a specification. 7

My invention relates to voltage-regulating systems, and it has special reference to such systems as are adapted to maintain .1- substantially constant voltage upon a circuit which would otherwise be subject to wide fluctuations of voltage.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a system of the above indicated class which shall be simple in arrangement and which shall operate effectively and quickly in accordance with variations in circuit conditions for maintaining substantially constant voltage upon translating clevices, such, for instance, as the lamps which are commonly employed in electric railway cars.

Another object of my invention is to provide a regulating device of simple andineX- pensive construction which shall respond quickly to predetermined changes of conditions of an electric circuit, and the movement of which may be instantly arrested under certain conditions, whereby the apparatus becomes dead beat and over shooting is precluded.

More specifically, one of the objects of my invention is to provide a voltage regulator formaintaining constant voltage upon the lighting system of an electric car having a control system like that shown and described in my co-pending application, Serial 7Sl,7t2, filed July 29, 1913, and assigned to the Vestinghouse Electric & Mfg. Company.

My invention may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which is a diagrammatic view of a motor control-system embodying a voltage-regulating system and device constituting my invention.

Referring to the drawing, a plurality of motors 1 and 2 are supplied with energy from a supply circuit or trolley conductor 3 through a line switch i, a starting resistor operation, as set forth fully in the hereinbefore mentioned co-pending application.

Under normal conditions, when the line switch 4 is closed, a circuit is first completed through switch 4;, resistor 5, motors l and 2, energizing coil of the relay 6 and an adjustable resistor 8 to the return circuit G. Immediately upon the supply of energy to the motors, the relay 6 raises its movable contact member 9 into engagement with its stationary contact terminals 10, thereby completing a circuit from the negative side of the battery 7 through conductor 11, cooperating contact members 9 and 10 of the relay 6, and energizing coil of relay 12 to the positive side of the battery 7. The relay 12, being thus supplied with energy, is raised to complete a circuit from conductor 13 through its cooperating switch members 14 and 15 to the positive side of the battery 7. Thus, the motor current is caused to traverse and charge the battery 7.

The adjustable resistor 8, however, carries a portion of the motor current, being con nected in multiple to the battery 7, and the amount of current therein depends upon the resistance thereof, which is normally set to insure that the total charging current of the battery in a predetermined period of time shall be just sufficient to maintain it in a fully charged condition, which, of course, will depend upon the character of the service to which the equipment is applied.

Also connected in multiple to the battery 7, are a plurality of translating devices 17 and 18, which may, for example, respectively, constitute the driving motor of a compressor set, commonly employed upon railway cars, and the electro-magnets of the usual control systems for the driving mo tors. .A'plurality of lamps 19, constiti'iting the car-lighting system, are furthermore connected across the battery 7 in circuitwith an energy-consuming device or variable resistor 20.

Under conditions of motor operation, the motor current is divided into several paths including devices 7, 17, 18 and 19, and is uti lized for operating said devices. If the current is sufficient for that purpose, the battery 7 is charged. If, hqnvever, the motor current, due to the conditions of operation, is less than the required amount for operating this auxiliary apparatus, the battery 7 is forced to assist the motor current and discharge some of its energy through the auxiliaries Thus, the voltage of the circuit including lamps 19 is liable to fluctuations of a considerable range, and, in order to eliminate these fluctuations and maintain a constant voltage, the resistor 20 is adjusted in accordance with the circuit conditions by means of apparatus and in the manner hereinafter set forth.

The resistor 20 is provided with a plurality of taps 21 which are severally provided with stationary contact terminals 22 for cooperative engagement with a movable conducting segment 23, the configuration of which is such as to engage or disengage said terminals successively when moved in either direction. Mechanically associated with the conducting segment 23 is a double-ended piston 21 that is movably mounted within an operating cylinder 25 and is adapted to be actuated by a suitable operating fluid in a well-known manner. Valves 26 and 27 are associated with the respective ends of the cylinder 25 and are adapted to govern the release and admission of operating fluid thereto from a fluid reservoir 28.

In certain respects, the valves 26 and 27 are of like construction, in that they embody -a plurality of chambers 31, 32 and 33, hav- The chaming intervening walls 31 and 35. bers 33 are open to the atmosphere through ports 36, the chambers 32 communicate with the operating cylinders, and the lower chambers 31 are in communication with the fluidcontaining reservoir 28. The several walls 31 and 35 are provided with valve openings of the usual type, and a doubleended valve plug 37 is disposed within the chamber 32 of the valve 26 and is adapted to cooperate with the walls 3-1 and 35 for opening and closing the openings therein. Normally, the valve plug 37 of' the valve 26 is biased to its lowest position, in which case the communication between the fluid reservoir 28 and the operating cylinder 25 is closed, while the cylinder 25 is placed in communication with the atmosphere through the port 36.

The valve 27 differs from valve 26, in that it embodies a plurality of valve plugs 39 and 40 which are respectively located within chambers 33 and 31 and are carried by a stem 11. Normally, these valve plugs are maintained in their lowest position, thereby closing the operating cylinder to the atmosphere and permitting the admission of operating fluid thereto.

The valves 26 and 27 are respectively provided with electro-magnets 412 and for the purpose of actuating them and thus governing their operation.

The electromagnets 412 and 13 are, in turn, governed by an electro-responsive device 14: comprising a pivotally mounted arm or eontact member 157, one end of which is adapted to cooperate with a plurality of contact terminals 416, 17 and 18 in accordance with the voltage conditions of? the lighting circuit in which lamps 1!.) are connected. The other end of the pivotally mounted arm. carries a movable core 19 of an electro-magnet 50 having an energizing coil 50 that is connected in multiple with the lamps 19 by means of conductors 51 and 52. C(niductor 52 connects contact arm 15 to the positive side of the battery 7, while conductor 53 connects the stationary contact terminal 16 to the energizing coil of electro-magnet 13, and conductor 51 connects contact terminal 17 to the energizing coil of the electro-magnet 12. Terminal 18 isolated and has no electrical connections.

The elctro-magnet 50, which effects movements of the arm 15, is designed so that, under normal voltage conditions of the light ing circuit 19, it, in conjunction with an opposing spring 56, maintains the arm 15 in contact with the terminal 17.

Assuming the various devices and circuit connections to be as shown in the drawing, it normal voltage obtains upon the lighting system, the arm 15 of the electro-respensivc device 11 is maintained in engagement with the contact terminal 17, in which case, the energizing coil of the electro-magnet 42 is energized, whereby the valve 26 is caused to admit operating fluid to the end 57 of? the cylinder 25. Inasmuch as the other endv 58 of said cylinder is already subjected to the pressure of the operating fluid, no movement of said piston or of the conducting segment 23 is effected. I

If, however, the voltage on the lighting system 19 rises to a n'edetermined amount, the electro-magnet 50 causes the conducting arm 4-5 to disengage the contact terminal 17 and to rest upon the terminal 18. As soon as this disengagement is accomplished, the energizing coil of electro-magnet 12 is deenergized and the admission of operating fluid to the end 57 of the chamber 25 is cut ofl, while the operating fluid therein is peri progressively inserting sections of the resistance 20'. Thus, the voltage of the lighting system 12 is immediately reduced.

As soon as the insertion of resistance has effected a reduction of voltage to the normal value, the spring 56 overcomes the electromagnet 50 and returns the arm 45 into contact with the terminal 47. Thus, the electromagnet a2 is again energized to close the release port and open the admission port of the valve 26, thereby establishing balanced pressures and holding the piston 24 and conducting segment 23 stationary.

0n the other hand, if the lighting system voltage falls below the normal value for which the electro-responsive device 44 is adjusted, the spring 56 causes the arm 45 to engage contact terminal &6, thereby energizing the clectro-magnet 43 of the valve 27 while maintaining the energization of the electro-magnet 5L2 of valve 26. The pressure in the end'58 of the cylinder 25 is thus released, and, inasmuch as pressure exists upon the opposite end of the piston 24:, the latter is moved to the right, thereby moving conducting segment 23 to cut out sections of resistance 20 until normal voltage conditions are restored.

With the restoration of normal voltage conditions, the arm 4-5 is disengaged from terminal to and is moved to its middle position. By this action, the electro-magnet 43 is deenergized, and balanced pressures on the piston 24.- are effected. Further adjustments of the resistor 20 are thus prevented until abnormal voltage conditions again obtain.

In this manner, the resistor 20 is gradually cut in and out in sections in accordance with the fluctuations of voltage across the battery 7, whereby the voltage on the lamps 19 is maintained constant. Moreover, the adjustments, of the resistor-controlling switch are quickly responsive to changes in circuit conditions, and the movements thereof are arrested instantly when normal conditions are restored.

Variations in the structure and arrangement and location of parts may be made vithout departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and such modifications are intended to be covered in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a voltage-regulating system, the combination with a supply circuit, translating means connected thereto, an energy-consuming device in circuit with said supply circuit, and a switching device for adjusting the circuit connections of said energyconsuming device, of power-operated means for actuating said switching device, a plurality of governing means associated with said actuating means, and means responsive to conditions of said supply circuit for causing the operation of both of said governing means to effect movements of said switching device in one direction, and for rendering one of said governing means inoperative to ett'ect movements of said device in the opposite direction.

In a voltage-regulating system, the combination with a supply circuit, a resistance-governing switching device therein, and translating means connected to said circuit, of a power-operated device for actuating said switching device in opposite directions, a plurality of electro-magnetically controlled valves associated with said power device for governing its operation, and means responsive to electrical conditions of said supply circuit for normally energizing one of said valves, for deenergizing said valve for effecting movements of said switching device in one direction, and for energizing both of said valves for effecting movements thereof in the other direction.

3. In a voltage -regulating system, the combination with a supply circuit, a resistance-controlling switching device therein, and translating devices connected to said circuit, of a power actuated device for moving said switching device, a plurality of electro-magnetically controlled valves for governing the operation oi": said power device and electro-responsive means for energizing one of said valves under normal con ditions of said supply circuit, for deenergizing said valve under other conditions of said circuit, and for energizing both of said valves under other conditions of said circuit.

4:. In a voltageregulating system, the combination with a supply circuit, translating means connected thereto, a resistancegoverning switching device associated with said supply circuit, and a power-actuated de vice mechanically associated with switching device for efiecting movements thereof, of a plurality of electro-magnetically controlled valves for governing the operation of said power device, one of which is biased to its open position and the other to its closed position when their respective electro-magnets are deenergized, and means responsive to electrical conditions of said .supply circuit for controlling the operation of said valves to eitect variations of said resistance in accordance with predetermined circuit conditions.

5. The combination with a resistance-controlling switching device, and a fluidopen ated mechanism associated therewith for moving said switching device, of a plurality of valves for governing the operation of said fluid-operated mechanism, one of said valves being biased .to open position and the other to closed position, means for opening the valve that is biased to closed position un der normal conditions of an electric circuit,

said

and means cooperating therewith for concurrently closing the other valve, under other redetermined conditions.

(i. The combination with a supply circuit, a resistancecontrolling switching device connected thereto and an operating piston associated with said switching device and adapted for movements in opposite direc tions, of a source of operating fluid, a plu rality of electro-magnetically controlled valves for governing the admission and release of operating fluid to the respective ends of said piston, and means responsive to voltage conditions of said supply circuit for controlling the supply of energy to either one or both of said electro-magnetically controlled valves, whereby said resistance is varied.

7. The combination with a supply circuit, a resistancecontrolling switching device connected therein, t anslating means con- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,

nected to said circuit, a fluid-actuated device for moving said switching device to cut in and out the resistance, a source of operating fluid, and a plurality of electro-magnetically controlled valves associated with opposite ends of said power device for controlling the admission and release of the operating fluid, one of said valves being initially open and the other closed, of means responsive to voltage conditions of said supply circuit for energizing said valves singly or concurrently for causing said resistance -to be cut in or out.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 31st day of Dec. 1913.

NORMAN W. STOREK Vitnesses D. H. MACE, B. B. HINEs.

by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

